Davide Soliani was the quiet hero of last year’s E3. The creator of the now-beloved Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle, Soliani shot to gaming fame as he wept with pride and relief in the audience of Ubisoft’s press conference while his game – a huge gamble for him and his team, after years of behind the scenes work with Nintendo – was unveiled on the world’s biggest stage to excitement and applause. That camera shot of his reaction is one of my favourite E3 moments – a glimpse behind the glitz and the glare, of someone simply seeing their work appreciated.
By E3 last year, work on Mario + Rabbids was beginning to wind down – but Soliani and his team still had plenty to do. Work was already starting on this year’s huge Donkey Kong expansion – and, spurred on by the reaction to the game’s announcement, Ubisoft decided to nearly double the size of the project.
Speaking to Eurogamer at E3 2018, a year on from being thrust into the spotlight, Soliani discussed what happened after he returned home, how Donkey Kong suddenly became a much bigger deal – and what what else the future might hold.
Source: Eurogamer What Ubisoft Crying Man did next